Embedded Linux for Developers

Summary

Device drivers have the job of handling devices, usually physical hardware but sometimes virtual interfaces, and presenting it to higher levels in a consistent and useful way. Linux device drivers fall into three broad categories: the character, the block, and the network. Of the three, the character driver interface is the most flexible and therefore, the most common. Linux drivers fit into a framework known as the driver model, which is exposed through sysfs. Pretty much the entire state of the devices and drivers is visible in /sys.

Each embedded system has its own unique set of hardware interfaces and requirements. Linux provides drivers for most standard interfaces, and by selecting the right kernel configuration, you can get the device ...